Now, according to a poll commissioned by the Richmond Association of Realtors, it’s: Morrissey 29% (+1 point)-Berry 25% (+9 points)-Stoney 14% (+7 points)-Baliles 12% (+3 points)-Mosby 7% (-3 points). In addition, “Two percent of voters said they were supporting one of the other three candidates – Bobby Junes, Bruce Tyler or Lawrence Williams (Tyler dropped out of the raceon Tuesday afternoon). Eleven percent of those surveyed said they are undecided.”

Morrissey also strengthened his position at the district level, with comfortable leads in four districts in eastern and southern Richmond — the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th — and somewhat narrower leads in two other districts: the 5th and the 3rd.

Berry led in the three districts that center on the West End, the Fan District and the Forest Hill Avenue corridor: the 1st, 2nd and 4th.

To be elected mayor, a candidate must win in five of nine voter districts. If no candidates meet that threshold, the top two vote-getters citywide advance to a runoff election that would be held Dec. 20.

So…with 40 days to go, it looks like Joe Morrissey – despite all his, uh, “baggage” – holds a solid lead in the race for the next Mayor of Richmond, with Jack Berry not far behind and Levar Stoney gaining ground. Should be a fascinating final stretch…stay tuned!

I’m not a resident of the City of Richmond, but I do consider myself a citizen of the Richmond region. Therefore, I want to see the city elect a strong and capable Mayor, and the prospects of Joe Morrissey winning this election is very disturbing to me. There is only one candidate that has a realistic chance of stopping Morrissey, and that is Jack Berry. I worked with Jack in Hanover County. He is a good man, he loves Richmond, and he would make a great Mayor. I encourage everyone to rally around his candidacy. We cannot allow Joe Morrissey to become Mayor of our Capitol city.